Interviewed on his new home turf yesterday, new NPR CEO Gary Knell said on All Things Considered, "Public radio needs to do a better job of making the case" for public funding as one of its revenue sources." Knell also pointed out how NPR can take advantage or what broadcast radio has given up on, covering local news. "We really need to have local news coverage to have an informed citizenry." Knell starts his new job December 1st. He comes over from Sesame Workshop which produces Sesame Street.
Knell also said the organizations needs to increase the revenue it receives from other sources as well. "We do have a mosaic of funding that includes the private sector" and that part of his job will involve being "more creative in tapping those resources" ? from foundations to the millions of NPR members."
NPR receives about 2 percent of its budget each year from the federally funded Corporation for Public Broadcasting and federal agencies ? but public radio stations that purchase NPR's programming receive more federal dollars and send some of that money back to NPR in fees. In fiscal 2008, for example, grants from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting accounted for about 10 percent of public radio stations' revenue. The stations got about 6 percent of their revenue from other federal, state and local government sources.
Listen to the full interview on NPR HERE
